Old Habits Die Hard, So do Memories
by Relispe
Summary: OC x Ryoma Memory Sarai is sent to Coralis Academy Boarding School by her father. She meets new people, joins their tennis team, and falls into an interesting love triangle. Who will she choose?
1. Chapter 1

My father's words rang clearly in my ear, "You will go to Coralis Academy Boarding School." I looked up at the dirty dry sketchy gray ceiling of the airplane #397 as my eyes filled with tears once again.

_No. _I told myself silently, _I will not cry. It's for my tennis career. Father __**does**__ care. He does…_ I looked out the window, silently glaring as the plane began its engine, "_Ladies and Gentleman, please buckle your seatbelts and enjoy the ride to Apple state._" I sighed and buckled myself aggressively. If I wasn't in first-class seats, in a single aisle area I bet my passenger partner would be looking at me as if I had grown five heads.

I fiddled with the box that I had been given upon arrival of the prestigious airline. Everyone on here had paid full amount for first class seating, on arrival to the Academy, and as obvious as this should be, the Academy _owned _their own airport, airliners, captains to fly the planes, and all the extra categories. These kids were going to be stuck up little devils as I can tell, noticing from he corner of my perpetual vision that everyone here were either doing the following: texting, listening to their iTouches, fiddling with their laptops, and more.

I sighed and took out my tennis racket from my passenger bag; my most precious item I've owned so far—it was one of a kind, made from a discontinued company that my dad had bribed to make a few for his 'gifted one.'

I straightened my strings, feeling the vibration it gave off as it popped into place after being used so long. The maroon color that was embroidered with gold and black was my signature colors. This racket had been through so much, and the strings being broken a few times, I had to use one of my spare ones, which haven't been broken into very well—making it quite uncomfortable to grip and play. But nonetheless, it had been torture without my racket for the few days it took to restring them and have them sent back to me. Multiple times it had happened, letting me break my other three spare rackets in slowly.

While it took a few hours to get to the NYC from Los Angeles, I had placed my bag on the 3 seats that sat across from me—ones I bet that were use for people to lounge on and chat with another. I threw my carryon bag on the third seat as well, knowing that if they had dared to touch it that they would get a good beating from me. And from Harm as well, my prized possession, my life.

I slouched over, taking off my seatbelt and decided to take a long nap if I was lucky enough. I placed over my hat that Hannah had customized for me that said, "In_ Memory _of Harm and Handles." Harm was the name of my racket, Handles was what she, Hannah, was known for. I felt a small tug of my lips as I remembered that smile and contagious laugh of hers. She could always make me laugh, something that was shadowed and locked the day she left and moved away. That last smile I received from her, her straight teeth, her wavy dark brown-maroon hair that she dyed, and her gorgeous fluorescent golden eyes.

I ducked the gray hat slowly, and kept myself semi-awake incase anyone dared to touch my priceless items.

* * *

"Guys, look, wonder what kind of brand this racket is, the letter 'M' is on it though," A semi-deep voice said, "Must be a custom, I mean look at the strings and the coloring, she must be good to get this kind of quality." I heard a voice state in awe. I jumped in a jolt, seeing four teenage guys opening my tennis bag and messing with my purse.

"Fuck you bitches!" I shouted and saw them jump and freeze in motion as I peered over their shoulders, "Who the hell are you and what are you doing _touching_ my stuff, let alone my _rackets._" I said in a dangerously calm tone, one that can give off the feel of 'back-off-don't-bother-me-tone'.

"Well?" I said, crossing my arms and tapping my foot on the carpeted floor, "Talk." I said, taking my racket, Harm, and hitting each boy's shoulders with it. They all groaned and clutched their shoulders in pain.

"We were.." One grumbled, "Just looking at your bag, sheesh, no need to get _physical_."

My eyes turned slit and glared at the blonde who said that, "And what gave you the _right _to _touch _my stuff, may I ask?" I said in a venomous accent.

"We saw you had a tennis bag and decided to see if you were a …serious player." He answered in a monotone voice. I only glared at him and sat back down, zipping all my items back in their place and studied Harm carefully.

"You guys are a hell of lucky, if you were to damage Harm, I'd swear you guys were in for it.' I said, letting my habit of stringing the strings of my racket again, "Besides, what are you guys here for? I mean just leave me alone, damn it."

They all somehow raised their hand as if the cops caught them red handed and shouted, "Hands up!" I only glared once again and sat back down on my seat, rearranging it so it would seat me in an upright position, yet I placed my hat over my head and tilted it to I could not see their prying eyes.

"Do you play tennis—" I heard a thump and a reply of an 'ow', "No, dip-shit, that's why she has a tennis bag with rackets in there. Geez."

"Do you plan on being on the tennis team?" I heard a familiar voice ask, I only looked up lazily before answering, "Maybe." _Lie, _a voice inside me screamed, _your __**dying**__to be on it._

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you look like you are pretty good," _Fuck him. _"If you say being in second Doubles and first singles is good, then I don't know where you've been in your life." I commented quietly back, "Please don't tell me your going to Coralis Academy?" He nodded and I stifled a groan.

"Well, this is the plane that the school owns." He noted with sarcasm, I only glared at him and 'humph' in return.

"Double A is getting a head start on their training this year, did you hear that?" One of his friends stated to… what's-his-face over here.

"Double A?"

"Allister Academy, our number one rival." The kid in front of me informed, "Besides, I'm Kam, this is—"

"Rikki."

"Mike."

"Rod."

Five guys looked over from behind the chairs and introduced themselves. I had a feeling they were listening to our conversation, secretly.

"Ashton. But you can call me Ash, babe," He said with a wink at the end. I only scowled, while his friends chuckled at my face.

"Allistar—not the school Allister, they have an E in their name, and I have an A."

"Tyler, or Ty, whatever you want." Tyler said in pure boredom.

"Jack, nice to meet 'cha." He gave me what could pass as a flirty smile

"And I'm Jeff." Waved awkwardly a cute one with spiked up in the front hair. He wasn't half bad looking, pretty easy on the eyes, actually they all were if you actually based them on their outer appearances solely.

They seemed to be waiting on me, "What?" I asked a bit aggravated at their consistent staring, "So." Kam asked, "What's your name?"

Oh. "Memory Sarai." I told them my full name, "So is the team, you know, matter on gender basis?" I asked.

"So you are interested in joining the team," he looked me over, "Well, you're easy on the eyes, so your answer is yes." I made a scowl and in habit crossed my arms, ticked off. "Where's the captain? Are you guys JV players?"

"Hell no." Ashton said, "We're damn varsity. Just coming back after a good month-long winter vacation with our families, and now we're heading back to our dorms."

"Yea, we had to make a few stops, this things like a bus, like 50 different stops until the full ride to the NYC." Rod added in a kicked-back tone, "Have you even been to New York?" Asked by none other than Jeff himself.

"Nope." I popped the 'p' on my lips, "Fresh from Los Angeles babay." I said with a twang, earning a few laughs and chuckles.

"So tell me about yourselves, guys." I said, trying to start a half-hearted conversation, I mean I was starting a new school and I'd need some acquaintances, so why not start now.

Kam started, "Well, I'm a sophomore, 15 of age, and… um, I like sugar?"

"Rikki, like you know, and… I'm also a sophomore, 14 though, um, and I have this knack to loose focus quite quickly."

"Yo," Mike began, "I'm the typical stud of the family and you can call me in the middle of the night any time." He said with a quick nod of the head. I glared at him and leaned over slowly, closing in on his lips, before pulling back and backhanding him. He just sat there, shocked at what had just happened.

"Any more of those pick up lines, I swear you'll get worse than he got." I glared at each and every one of them.

After an awkward silence, someone continued, "Rod's the name, and I… love sushi. And food."

"Yea, when he's starving, he could eat a cow… and… a pig."

"And Ashy here is a total nerd, who can figure any opponent in a few hours time, and investigating." I shrugged as one of the guys answered for the poor Ashton.

"Allistar, and I have the passion of hate to be compared in the Double A school." Allistar said with a tone that set he was serious. I just looked straight at him, with my innocent straight face.

"Jack _THE_ stud, not Mike, ignore him, but you can do the same thing minus the slapping part." He winked and laughed cutely. I couldn't help but go and lean over but punching his gut. He groaned in sudden pain, I just smirked.

"Tyler, I hate ties." He muttered.

"Jeff." The child said his name.

"I know that," I replied, "anything interesting about you?" He just shrugged.

Jack jumped over and gave Jeff a knuckle-rub on the head, causing Jeff to smile and immediately swat him away, but as quickly as the smile came, it went.

I yawned and mumbled, "Don't touch my stuff. I'm half awake." They all groaned before saying, "Wait, you haven't told us about you yet!"

I yawned and stretched before curling up in my seat and mumbling, "Later."


	2. Chapter 2

I was not in my seat anymore, I was… being supported by two strong arms, wait... arms? I peaked and saw I had my arms wrapped around someone's torso, I instantly let go and gave out a small squeal-like scream once I noticed my shoulder and the bent of my knees were being held tightly by Jeff. Then the unexpected happened.

He dropped me.

I landed on my butt with a groan and glared at him before muttering, "Fucking asshole." Then I felt two arms grab my shoulder and lifted me to my feet, "Don't mind him, like I said, he'll grow on you as soon as you get to know him." In return, Jeff scowled at Kam's comment.

I rolled my eyes and dusted my bottom of my skinny jeans. _Where are we? _I asked myself when I noticed our surroundings were nothing like the gray sketchy roof of the roomy airplane.

"Welcome to Coralis Academy." Mike said, appearing next to my ear. I flinched and stuck out my tongue him. He only pointed out, "Honey, my mother always told me that sticking your tongue out was a landing station for flies." I only rolled my eyes but pulled my tongue in.

"Where do I know what room I'm in?" I asked curiously, before walking up to the desk and rang the silver bell, which gave off a high _ting _in response. I was soon greeted by a middle-aged, stressed out, gray-haired woman. I told her my problem and asked her where my room would be, "We don't seem to have enough rooms in the girls lounge at this moment, but there is an opened dorm with another girl living in them," She handed me the keys, and brochure with the room number written on it, "I'm sure Alicia will give you a warm welcome." I thanked her with a smile before heading to the elevator with my tote and tennis bag and clicked the shiny buttons to my room.

As the door was closing, a hand reached through and caught it, letting the doors retract itself to bring its visitors. I growled in my head, frustrated; I liked to ride the elevators alone. "Hey, hold up speedy." I groaned, not embarrassed because it was just Mike. Or… yea it was Mike.

"What room did you get?" I looked at my brochure before mumbling, "A226, Floor 25." Great. I am going to be living twenty-five stories high. What _fun_.

"Serious?" I gave him a does-it-look-like-I'm-lying look while waving the brochure, "Wow. We got the same floor and we are… right across from each other. We live in suite 227."

Great. This just _made_ my day.

"Hey, why the down look?" I just turned away and ignored his question, "You getting in here or not?" He nodded the guys and all ten of us gather in the stuffy elevator. Kam somehow ended up next to me.

"Hey." I nodded in reply before stuffing in a piece of gum in my mouth and chewing it until it was diluted enough in my mouth to enjoy.

_I hate elevators, those evil little machines that pulled people up and down,_ I thought as I felt the gravity pressure push my body down as we went up, causing me to get lightheaded. I held onto the rail, closed my eyes and leaned on the wooden lavish walls of the electronic reincarnation of the Devil.

I silently cursed under my breath as the guys chattered on throughout the entire time. Lord, how would I survive with these goons?

With the ding to signal the first retreat, I pushed my way from the far back to the front wildly to get out of the elevator. I was claustrophobic—meaning I hated being in small places, and possibly being too close to someone.

I scanned the door numbers, ignoring the calls from the boys behind me and stuck the key given to me by the clerk and walked into the room. I stepped into the room, taking in the scenery. There was a living room, a small kitchen (they really trust us kids like that?), living room with a flat-screen on the wall, and a few doors on to the side. I assumed those doors would be our actual dorm rooms and a bathroom (I'm pretty sure they included one…).

I saw my luggage in the corner and saw a yellow sticky note on the first door and went up to read it out of curiosity.

_Memory-_

_This is your room; I'll see you there soon! I went to get some lunch… _

_But I will be back soon!_

_-alicia._

I gave out a sigh, and took off the note before walking into my room. Small bed, a nightstand next to it, a small window, and a drawer for my clothes, I assumed. I started unpacking slowly, taking out my shirts for the first, undergarments and socks for the last drawer, and pants, shorts in the second to top drawer. I'll fill in the last drawer later, I thought. I started redoing the bed, moving it to the side by just carrying the heads and ends of the bed to one position that I wanted.

And I had a feeling I scratched the floor more than necessary. Shrugging it off, I fixed it to where it would be—on the other side of the room. I heard a few raps tap on a hard surface, which gave me a startle and dropped the side of the bed I was holding. I grunted and looked towards the door with a straight face.

There stood a girl, of beautiful Japanese features and skin that only a god would wish for waited with an admiring smile. "Hello!" She said enthusiastically. I only replied with a small grunt of a 'hi' in reply.

"I'm Alicia." She paused and took me in as if I was some kind of idol to her, "You must be Memory."

"The one and only," I said back, "Nice to meet you, if you don't mind, I'll talk and work at the same time."

She smiled and shook her head in contentment, "That's fine. Do you need help?"

I muttered a 'no' in reply and scooped up the last part of the bed to where I wanted it to be with ease before setting it back down. "Wow," She said in awe, "I had to have a few of my guys friends carry that _for_ me. Geez, you're strong."

I smiled meekly at her compliment. "Not really, that was really nothing actually." I just shrugged and dumped my inventory of crap on the bed. Just like home.

She glanced at my tennis bag and her eyes widened, "You play tennis?" I nodded and yawned. Jet lag was falling down on my shoulders right now; all I wanted to do was go to sleep. Sleep—that sounded really good right now.

"What level are you?" I shrugged; I didn't really _level_ myself, I just wanted to _improve._ "Oh. Hmm. Are you interested in joining the school tennis team?" I groaned. I already _went_ through that question.

"Maybe." I repeated.

Someone barged in, a voice that said, "I have a feeling that would be a yes," I couldn't make out who it was, but I recognized it somehow.

"Leave me alone. I want to sleep." I grumbled into the pillow, but it ended up sounding like 'leevinlonelantsheeeep'.

The mystery person chuckled and another voice came in, "Dude, chill man, she has jet lag. Let her rest. Lets go to Coach and—"

"Hey, Memory," A voice called, "Tomorrow, lets play a match, meet me at the courts at one in the afternoon." I just grunted and fell asleep.

* * *

**So, I know. Im updating slowly. Maybe even once a week, I dont know, lets see if the story is motivating enough to even bother to think of finishing it. So. Reviews are lovely. **

**3 -Relispe.**


	3. Chapter 3

A note was left on my table when I woke up. I scanned its content:

_1PM- match with Kam._

_Don't be late._

_-alicia_

I yawned again, not bothering to hide my noise and thought back, when did I schedule a match? What match? I was fairly good at martial arts, and fighting. I only shook my head and got my tennis shoes that I broke into so well that I _have_ to wear it any and every time I can. I changed into my jogging shorts and a loose t-shirt. Tying my hair in a ponytail, I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

I only saw a girl that stood there blankly, waiting for something exciting to happen in her life; something new. Fresh.

I took a few deep breathes in and out and grabbed my tennis bag, with motivation like now, I could run miles to the tennis courts with my rackets and water jug. I got out and started walking to the direction of the courts, which wasn't that far, it was towards the ends of the school, but close enough to short cut to the parking lot in a few seconds. There were originally ten courts, but due to construction (for adding new courts, maybe?) there were only eight available, add another two for practicing purposes. So that made ten, plus an additional track field, and walled-on courts. I headed towards the walled on courts and left my racket bag there, grabbed Harm and a single tennis ball in my palm and took off running.

I dribbled the ball around the large track field and never removed my concentration. I heard words fly to my attention, _"Never lose focus. The key most important thing is focus, in life or on the court."_ My father's words of wisdom.

I finished the last lap slowly, not minding the lost of attention towards dribbling the ball. I felt the wind rush across my face, kissing my cheeks and forehead before waving goodbye as another gust wept passed me. I inwardly smiled and walked towards my tennis bag and started hitting the ball slowly with even increase of power with each stroke.

I hummed silently and closed my eyes, letting the vibration from the strings of Harm to the bounce off the wall decide which direction I should turn. I kept running left, right, left, right, over and over not stopping and keeping an even space.

_What good times,_ I thought while I remembered the moment I first held my racket and couldn't see where it was due to the sun in my eyes. The only thing I could do was close my eyes and let my body choose its path.

I felt a person behind me, watching me, not moving. I hit the ball aimed straight back and caught it in mid air. "What do you want?" I asked without moving anything other than my lips and my chest, "Interesting," the voice said, "you seemed warmed up, but serene. Oddly your eyes were closed." He mumbled the last sentence to himself and asked a question that took me off guard. "Are you ready for your match with Kam?"

My body turned around in a second, eyes narrowed at the boy before asking, "…What _match?_"

"That match you promised him, yesterday I do believe. He kept bragging how you were just a girl and that you weren't capable of winning a game point against him."

I growled, _so that's what the commotion was about._ I thought, thinking back to this morning when Alicia was changing and said something about getting a 'camera to shoot videos.' That couldn't mean…

No. She wouldn't, well; I don't technically _know_ her yet. I mean, we just met less than twenty-four hours ago. "I don't remember agreeing to any match whatsoever." I said with gritted teeth at Ash. He shrugged, making a funny face that was close to what my best friend use to make.

"Well, if you back out now, I mean Kam will only brag it in your face. Over and over and over again." I glared harshly at his face.

"Where is that—"

"HEY!" a voice called, "Your early Memory!" I only rolled my eyes as they met the brown ones of Kam. "Since we're here already why not play now?"

I looked at harm and my sweatband wrapped around my wrist, "I'm warmed up," I shrugged in agreement. "You got the balls?" I heard a snort and glared at Kam, "No, I mean tennis balls, dip shit."

He nodded and gave me two, "Here you can serve, I mean ladies first right?" _Well, age before beauty._ I snorted inside, grabbing the two tennis balls and heading over to the net, "M or W?" I asked.

"W." It landed on M, I chose his side of the court and prepared to serve, "Ash, you're keeping score right?" Ash nodded, climbing up the coaching ladder.

I served and easy one and he lobbed it back to me quickly, "Easy." I said, hitting back straight at him. His footing was lost and the ball returned which I just let bounce and point.

He gave a triumphant grin and I just kept my straight face on as it passed by me at a slow pace.

_4 sets later…_

I got tired of his triumphant smirk as he returned each ball. I was just warming up. I threw the ball about thrice the amount of strength from before. It passed by him in a second, and he didn't even notice it until it hit the fence.

I kept my focus, as the referee called out the score, "15-love."

"4-4." We were at a tie. It took me less than 15 minutes, acing each serve and return-acing each ball.

"Deuce." I was serving again, but this time I used a flick of my wrist to change the entire course of the ball. I threw it up and moved my hand right wise, outer my body and it bounced in the court but was aimed out the box. The move he used surprised me. He returned it.

"Add out."

It wasn't a solid return, but enough to make it over the next and cause me scrambling from the middle of the court to the net. I only growled when the ball I returned hit the net and didn't make it. I walked back to the base line and served with a flick of my wrist to the left of my hand. The ball landed and bounced to the left, almost hitting his face.

"Deuce." Again.

The next point was mine, I gritted my teach and pounded him with most of my strength.

I served the twist serve to my left and as he returned it, I did a zero-shiki drop shot. I saw it slid back on the ground and the referee called, "6-4, Game to Memory. Players please shake hands." I walked and shook hands with Kam, glaring at him.

"You weren't really worth playing," I muttered when I walked away. All he did was scoff, "Hey, I won… the first four games." I was about to retort when Mike came into our conversation and said, "No, it looked like she was warming up and starting kicking your ass dude."

I staggered slightly as I lightly walked to my bag, grabbing my water jug and drinking half of it down easily. I wiped the trails of water that etched around my lips and down my chin before putting the Bottle of Heaven back in its correct place.

* * *

As I opened my door to my room, I dropped my bag carelessly on the floor. I heard a few beeping noises come from the side of my bed and walked to it. My phone. There were 3 missed calls and two messages that were unread. I clicked through the 'Missed Calls' and saw one was from my father; another from my trainer, who was also my older cousin, and the last was from Hannah.

I clicked redial on Hannah's name and waited for her to pick up. The full thirty seconds passed without answer. I sighed as I clicked the red dial number and walked back to out while stuffing my phone in my pocket. _I'll call her back later,_ I thought as I exited the doors of the dorms. As I walked my hair swooshed from side to side, one with the wind. It was windy here, in the Apple state. I wasn't expecting more or less, but I shivered in discontent as I walked by a group of teenagers. I felt their eyes lingering on me, about 2-4 pairs of eyes following my every move. I felt my sense tingle and noticed that they were following me. I speeded up my pace and turned a few corners, soon meeting a dead end.

_Damn you, Memory, your so stupid, you aren't even familiar with this place and yet you walk around thinking you know where your going_. I stopped at middle of the alley, hearing the snickers of the boys behind me. "Well, well, what do we have here boys?" a voice sneered, "A lost new girl. Girlie, I haven't seen you around these parts." I didn't face the boys, I just kept my back to them as they talked, "Why don't you turn around and let us have a look—" a hand grabbed my shoulders, I naturally elbowed the gut of the man and did a full round house kick. The rest of the group behind him noticed the boss needed help and started running forward. I kicked, punched and dodged at them. Moving in at the beginning of the alleyway. I was almost there, ready to sprint off unharmed when something hit my neck and everything was black.

* * *

** I know its a bit quick, but I wanted some action and my fingers caused the words to fly from my hands. So, this is only the beginning and I plan on ending this story early.. around I dont know, but my updates will be rather late, because of school. **

**-R. **


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